Concrete Jungle
by Fallen Warrior Angel
Summary: She's the daughter of the most respected and feared cop in Miami, but how did her story begin? *A prequel to my story House of Cards* Mac Taylor X OC
1. Chapter 1

**AN: OK my avid readers, this is a prequel to my _CSI: Miami_ story, _House of Cards__, _which has been getting a lot of feedback (thank you!) However, I decided to touch on the not-so-eloquently-elaborated-on relationship of my OC Erin Caine/Erin Wolfe, and her former boss, Detective Mac Taylor. So here is their story! PLEASE REVIEW!**

_April 2002_

New York City was the one place where everything came together. It was the once place that to her, seemed perfectly balanced between culture, economy, and excitement. Erin Caine knew, that living in New York was one of the greatest things she could have in her life. Miami, where her father lived and worked, was a beautiful atmosphere too, but it didn't hold the history of New York City. The only thing that was missing, was a job; something Erin couldn't obtain for various reasons. One of which was the fact that her mother never let her out of the apartment for a certain amount of hours, and despite much apartment-hunting, without money to pay rent it was kind of pointless. The second reason was that there was no job out there that she really seemed interested in; she was a science geek, loved all things forensic, and she had a high interest in law enforcement, something her mother frowned upon. Her father was a Bomb Squad officer in Miami, and that was why her mother had divorced him when Erin was just four years old.

Now, at the bright age of 23, Erin knew that it was time to stop letting her mother control her life. So, a quick phone call to her dad, and she had an interview with the head of the NYPD Crime Lab: Mac Taylor. She'd seen his face all over the television, on the fronts of newspapers, and other such places. She'd even seen him jogging once or twice down the street she lived on, but other than that he was just another officer of the law, one she admired greatly.

"Ma! Where's my flat iron?" the young woman called from the bathroom, still only in her robe, "I have to be at the crime lab in an hour! Ma!" Erin groaned in frustration, finding her mother passed out on the couch, and her flat iron in her mother's bedroom. She sighed as she plugged it in, only to find that it wasn't working, "Seriously?" she stormed into the living room, pulling the blanket off of her mother.

"Jesus, Erin! What are you doing?" the older woman squinted up at her daughter, obviously hungover.

Erin held up her broken flat iron, "This cost me two hundred dollars and you decide that you're just going to use it whenever the Hell you feel like it? It's broken, Ma, because you leave it plugged in all the time!"

Her mother glared up at her nastily, "Well I'm sorry, Erin, that I can't be as perfect as you are. Some of us have better things to do than to worry about a flat iron. Besides, my hair is much curlier than yours is."

"That's got nothing to do with it! I have a job interview in an hour and now I have to look like a hobo because my hair is a mess! You use it to make your hair look enough like a street walker's to keep Maseria's attention!" Erin stormed out of the room; her mother, Sharon D'Amico, was connected with the Italian mafia that ran the better part of Little Italy, well, more like acquainted than connected. Erin didn't take her mother's maiden name like the older woman had wanted, instead she kept her father's last name, which allowed her to gain a bit more respect when she was at school.

As she rushed into the bathroom to fix the mop she called her hair, Erin noticed that her suit wasn't hanging by the dryer like it had been; it was now on the floor in a ball. She quickly tossed it in the dryer, threw in a bounce sheet, and turned it on Permanent Press cycle for ten minutes to get out whatever wrinkles there were. Her damp hair was compliant after filling it with almost an entire can of mousse, and after fussing with a little bit of makeup, she threw on her dress pants, her blouse, which had come out of the dryer wrinkle-free, and her jacket. Quickly putting on her watch, and her favorite earrings, she slipped on her pumps and walked out the door, not caring if her mother awoke once again at the slamming door.

God she was going to be late if she didn't hail a cab soon! The young woman waved her hand fervently in the air, hoping one of the many yellow cars speeding by would stop for her. Finally, she caught one, jumping in and giving him the address of the lab she sat back against the seat, glancing at her phone: 2:35, she was going to be late! She couldn't be late, not for this interview; so thinking on her feet she paid the cab driver and got out, rushing down the last couple of blocks and running as best she could into the lobby of the building, "Hi, my name's Erin Caine I have an appointment with Detective Mac Taylor?"

The receptionist glanced at her computer, handing the blonde a visitor's pass before pushing a clipboard over to her, "Sign your name and the time here."

Erin glanced at her watch, 2:50, quickly she filled in her signature and hurried to the elevator, pressing the 'Up' button quickly, her eyes watching the red LED numbers slowly changing. "C'mon...c'mon..." she tapped her foot impatiently until the elevator bell dinged, allowing her to get in and press number 32.

2:53.

15...16...

2:54.

23...24...25...

Erin sighed, her patience long gone as she looked from her watch to the floor numbers and back, "Oh God, I'm gonna be late."

29...30...

2:57.

31...32. Finally! She stepped out of the elevator and climbed the few stairs that led up to the crime lab, and as she looked at her watch that read 3:00 on the dot, her heart lifted at the sight of all the technicians in lab coats, the detectives walking around with files, and other such work going on around her. She felt comfortable here, she felt like she fit in.

"Can I help you?" a voice brought her out of her daze, and she froze: it was him. His dark hair, lightly tanned skin, piercing blue eyes, and military physique; everything that the news portrayed him to be.

"Detective Mac Taylor, my name is Erin Caine, I have an interview with you today?" she knew she sounded idiotic; heaving breath like she just ran a marathon, and her face must've been bright red.

He smiled kindly, "You're right on time, follow me," he turned and began walking down the hall, and she followed en suite. The office he took her to was very open, the large windows behind the desk allowed a great deal of light to shine though, giving her the chance to see all of the pictures adorning the walls. They were military photographs, medals, and other such memorabilia, and Erin's eyebrows shot up in surprise when she noticed the Detective before her in all of them, much younger and dressed in Marine Corps. uniform.

"Have a seat," he gestured to the chair in front of his desk, sitting down behind it.

Erin nodded, sitting down in the chair provided before crossing her legs, looking down at her resume nervously.

Mac looked her over from head to toe: he'd expected someone who looked much more like the Lieutenant he'd met a little while back, but instead she was slender, tan, and had wavy blonde hair. The only similarity to her father was her eyes, "So, your father told me you're looking for a job in this field?"

"Yes, I recieved a masters degree from NYU in forensic science," she explained, handing him her resume.

The New York Detective looked over the paper, "Did you attend Police Academy?"

"For the National Guard, yes," she stated, wondering if she needed to get a badge with the NYPD first.

He seemed surprised, "You're Military Police?"

Erin looked at him for the first time during their conversation, "Was. I left duty last month."

"Alright, so we'll just have to authorize you a badge and a gun," his eyes scanned the paper again, "you live with your mother?"

_Regretably_, she thought, but didn't verbalize her distaste of her lodgings, "Yes I do."

Mac noticed the hesitation in her answer, but didn't pry, "Alright, well if you're anything like your father, I can tell you're reliable. Also I have faith in fellow military officers. So I'll give you a trial run for the next two days, and if I decide you're up to par then we'll talk about a pay grade."

Erin smiled, "Thank you, Detective."

"Call me Mac," he smiled, standing up with her.

She nodded, "Erin...so, tomorrow?"

Mac shook her hand, "Tomorrow, 8:00."

"OK, thank you again," the young woman turned on her heel and walked out of the office, holding in her excitement until she exited the building.

* * *

"I got the job! I got it!" Erin burst into the apartment, practically bounding with joy, although her mother didn't share her enthusiasm.

Sharon looked up at her from the feeble attempt at dinner she was making, "A crime lab? Is that really where you want to work, Erin? I'm sure you could find much better places."

The young woman stopped short, staring at her mother, "Why can't you just be happy for me for once? Be proud of me?"

"Proud of you for what? For getting a job just like your father? Congratulations you can waste your life away just like him," her mother sneered, chopping away at an onion.

Erin locked her jaw in anger, storming forward and flipping the bowl full of vegetables onto the floor, "You're the one wasting your life away," she turned on her heel, grabbing her mother's purse and ran back out of the apartment, not caring to listen to the shrieks of anger coming from the furious woman behind her. The brisk April wind blew through her hair as she ran down the street, the credit card tucked safely away in her mother's bag would pay for just about anything she wanted to eat, which at the moment was all she cared about. She would have to go home and face the music sooner or later, but for right now she just wanted a good meal.

After walking the streets for a good half hour, she decided on a small sushi bar tucked away by Rockerfeller Center. The cozy atmosphere of the restaurant allowed Erin to relax, and a nice glass of sake really lightened her mood. She was just about to devour the edamame appitizer she'd ordered, when she heard her name.

"Erin?"

She froze: Detective Taylor? What was he doing here? "Mac. Hi," she turned to see him, dressed in a suit and tie as he had been earlier, "just get off work?"

He nodded, looking at the empty seat beside her at the sushi bar, "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," she removed her mother's purse from the seat and placed it on the chair on her opposite side.

Mac smiled, looking at the waitress, "I'll have whatever's she's having."

The server nodded, "One glass of sake coming right up."

The detective's eyebrows arched in surprise, "Quite a strong drink for four o'clock in the afternoon."

Erin nodded, "Yeah, well, I've had quite a successful afternoon, aside from going home, so I thought one drink wouldn't hurt."

Mac smirked, accepting the glass he was being handed greatfully, "Well, here's to your future at the crime lab."

She smiled in return, tapping her glass against his before taking a sip.

"Now what's this about going home?" he stated, catching the hint of sadness in her voice.

Erin sighed, "You caught that, huh."

He shrugged, "It's my job."

"Well, my mother's not the most supportive person, never has been. And she seemed, almost disgusted that I got a job like my father; because she feels that's what ruined their relationship, _his_ work ethic, not hers. When, in fact, she was the one that ruined everything, for my father and for me...and I'm ranting because I'm drinking. Sorry," she turned back to her soy beans and began eating.

Mac looked at her, this wasn't the strong, confident young woman he'd seen in his office this afternoon. This was the other Erin, the one he'd thought he was going to get in the work place, "You know, you can always move out."

Erin chuckled, "Right, I need money to pay for an apartment first."

"So I'll pay you enough to get a rental and you'll work it off," he stated.

She stared at him, "No, I can't let you do that."

"I wasn't offering, and I'm not arguing it. You'll get a paycheck tomorrow," he smiled, turning to the man behind the sushi bar, "two Sunset rolls, please."

Erin watched him, intriuged practically, at how kind he was. He'd just met her not even an hour ago, and here he was giving her money to rent an apartment. She smiled inwardly, taking her plated of sushi from the man; she was going to love this job.

**AN: Reviews make me happy! Tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

"This really is too much, Mac, I can't let you pay for this." Erin stared at her new boss and her new apartment, which was much more than she expected to pay. However, it was a block and a half away from the crime lab, and it was gorgeous. Between the astounding view, the high-end appliances and plumbing, and the classic styling of the design, it made it very hard for her to say no to him.

Mac smiled, "You'll work it off. Besides, it's the least I can do for my newest recruit. Maybe it'll inspire you to work hard."

She chuckled, 'Very funny," her eyes lingered on the New York detective, "thank you, Mac. You have no idea how heavy of a weight you've lifted off of my shoulders."

He turned to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "The other night you sounded desperate to get out of your house. I want to help you get on your feet, and hopefully make you smile more."

Erin blushed, "Well you certainly did that."

"Tell you what, let's go to work, you buy me lunch, and later I'll help you move in," he smirked.

The young woman nodded with a laugh, "It's a deal."

Mac grinned, "Good, now c'mon," he walked with her out of the apartment, noticing the slight redness in her cheeks as they headed down the street.

* * *

"This kid's good, Mac, real good," Stella smiled, watching Erin work silently through the glass, "she's smart, focused, and she knows her stuff."

Mac nodded, "Yeah she does, she's more like her father than I expected."

The woman smirked at him, "Is this a good thing?"

"Very good," he stated, looking back at Erin, ignoring the look he was getting from his partner, "what is it?"

Stella chuckled, "She's worked here for a week and you've already grown a soft spot for her."

Mac blushed, "I have not. Just stating a fact."

"Mmhmm, whatever you say, Mac, you're the boss," she walked toward the AV lab with another soft chuckle.

Erin was staring at the DNA sample she was analyzing, the X and Y chromosome didn't seem to line up. Mac stepped into the room, putting on one of the lab coats hanging on the wall, "I don't like that look."

The young woman glanced up at him, "What look?"

"The look that says 'I don't know what this means'," he took the paper from her hand, "what's the problem?"

She sighed, "The chromosomes don't match up with the profile we have in the database. I've checked it three times; it's a diffrent profile."

Mac arched his eyebrow, "There's a 'but' in there somewhere."

Erin chuckled dryly, "But, the sample was collected from the same person."

He looked up at her, "Both samples are from the same suspect?"

"Yep. That's what this...look is for."

Mac nodded, "Hmm, run it against Missing Persons, see what you find."

She bobbed her head once, looking at the file once more, "Will do."

He watched as she continued her work, the same red hue on her cheeks as there had been when they were leaving her new apartment: was she uncomfortable around him? He decided not to press the subject and walked out of the lab, leaving her to her investigation.

* * *

_Six Hours Later_

"I have to admit, hiding a saliva packet in your mouth to give you a different DNA profile is pretty clever," Hawkes chuckled, sitting at the bar with the rest of the team.

Erin smiled into her glass of wine, "Pretty stupid if you ask me. The plastic got caught in his teeth, made it almost too easy."

"Everything's almost too easy for you isn't it, Caine?" Flack teased.

She hit him on the shoulder playfully, "Shut up, Don."

Everyone laughed, "So Erin, we christening your new apartment with a party or what?" Danny interjected.

The young woman's mouth hung open slightly, "Uh...I'm not sure."

Stella smirked, "They'll give any excuse to have a party."

Mac nodded in agreement, "Just make sure they have enough to drink and they'll actually be civil."

Erin laughed at the looks all three men were giving their boss, "Well whatever party I have it's not going to be tonight. I still have to actually move in to the place."

Her boss smirked, "Which by the way you owe me lunch."

She glanced at him, taking out her wallet and placing fourty dollars on the bar, "Drinks are on me. Fair enough?"

Mac glanced down at the money then back at her, "Fair enough," he got up, putting on his jacket.

Danny looked at them, "Where you two goin'?"

Erin finished her wine, standing up and sliding her arms into her coat, "Mac's helping me move in."

Stella arched her eyebrows in surprise, "Is he? I didn't know he was so helpful."

"Give it a rest guys, will ya?" Mac stated, looking at Erin, "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's go, night guys," Erin smiled, giving her newfound friends a quick hug each.

Flack smiled, "Need an extra set of hands?"

She grinned over her shoulder as she followed back out of the bar, "Maybe painting!" The sound of laughter from behind her filled her ears as she let the cool, night air envelope her.

"Taxi!" Mac held his hand above his head, hoping to catch one of the yellow cars passing by, "This is one reason why I don't like New York."

Erin chuckled, "Isn't Chicago the same way, though?"

He looked beside him; her pearl-white smile, golden hair, and aquamarine eyes as if she'd jumped right out of an old Hollywood movie, "No, in Chicago the taxies actually stop for you."

She nodded, "Well allow me," her hand raised in the air, and almost immediately, a taxi halted for them, "after you."

Mac couldn't help but smile as he got into the cab, his young team member sitting beside him, "104 46th Street."

Erin settled into the leather seat of the cab beside her boss, noting the slight warmth of his coat against her own, "I hope there's no drama going on at my apartment, I don't want you to think differently about me after you meet my mother."

She watched as his gaze went from the window to her, "Why would I?"

"My mother's not...the best person in the world."

"No one's perfect, Erin, especially parents."

A dry chuckle escaped her lips, "My mother takes it to a whole different level."

Mac turned to her, "You know, despite everything you've been through, you turned out to be a pretty well-rounded young woman. More like your father I would say than your mother."

She smirked, "Yeah, I get that a lot, but it doesn't really count for much since I still live with someone who tortures me every single time she lays eyes on me. Defeats the purpose, really."

As the taxi pulled up in front of the apartment complex, Erin noticed that the door had been kicked in, "Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Mac peered out the window to see the same thing, "What's going on?"

"I don't know," the young woman opened the taxi door, her heels clicking on the sidewalk as she rushed inside, keeping one hand on the holster of her gun as she quietly climbed the stairs, Mac right behind her. Shouting could be heard the moment they were in earshot of the tenth floor, one of the voices Erin recognized as her mother's, the other was a man's, most likely Maseria.

"...You think you can just do somethin' like that and get away with it? Huh! You think you can sneak around behind my back and betray me?"

"I didn't do anything! Whoever told you this bullshit is lying to you!"

_THWACK_

Erin heard the impact of skin against skin from down the hall, and the sound of glass crashing to the floor followed.

"You're just a dumb whore! You'll die before ever stealing from me again!"

The scene that lay before her was shocking: Maseria towered over her mother, who's face was bruised and bloody, a gun in his hand. Erin knew that if she waited a second longer her mother would be dead, so she bolted for the room, tackling Maseria to the floor.

"Erin!" her mother wailed, watching the two of them roll around on the carpet.

Mac rushed into the room, pointing his gun at Maseria, "Drop the gun and put your hands behind your head!"

Erin stood, kicking Maseria's gun out of reach and walking back to stand beside her boss, "Do it!"

Maseria laughed, "Your little _putana_ of a daughter's a cop now? This just gets better and better!"

Mac noticed Erin's face turn red with anger at the name he'd just called her, and she had every right, "Get on your knees, and put your hands behind your head."

Erin gritted her teeth together, cocking her gun, "Do it. Now."

The tall man glared at them both as he got down on his knees, his dark eyes never leaving Erin.

"Dispatch I need a radio car and backup to 104 46th Street, apartment 10-C," Mac spoke into his phone, keeping his gun aimed at Maseria the entire time.

* * *

Red and blue lights illuminated the night sky in front of the apartment building as Maseria was hauled out by two officers, the young woman watching the entire time. Mac walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Do you still want to get your things?"

Erin sighed, "I don't know, Mac. My mom was just assaulted, but God knows she's not going to be greatful to me for saving her life."

He nodded, "She's gonna spend the night at the hospital, why don't we get you settled in at your new place? I'll stay with you if you want."

Her lips curled into a warm smile, "I'd like that," she walked back into the apartment building and up the stairs, the living room of her former home was a mess, but thankfully everything she wanted to get out of her room was still there, and her mother hadn't touched a thing.

Mac watched as she packed up her belongings, the look of pure calm on her face; she wasn't sad to be leaving this apartment, and he knew that she would leave without taking a second glance back. Three duffle bags and one suitcase later, she was all packed and ready to go. "Forgetting anything?"

Erin shook her head, taking the only photo she owned of her and her father off of the mirror of her dresser, "Let's go."

The two of them left the apartment silently, the taxi ride back to her new apartment was thick with tension, but once they arrived, the two of them were relaxed. "Do you want to order Chinese or something?" the young woman called to him from inside her new bedroom.

Mac continued to unpack her few electronic items, "Sure, what do you want I'll call."

"Sesame chicken with a side of white rice," her voice came down the hall again, along with the soft clutter of clothes on hangers.

He chuckled, "You alright in there or do I have to send a search party to find you in your own clothes?"

Erin appeared out of the bedroom, now dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a tank top, "Very funny," she handed him a take-out menu, "go nuts."

Mac watched as she sat down on the couch, turning on the television they only recently got to work, and he felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, "Yes I'd like to place an order for delivery."

Twenty minutes later, laughter filled apartment 201 as both Erin and Mac devoured the Chinese take-out they'd ordered, a rerun of _The Birdcage_ playing on the television.

Erin smiled over a mouthful of sesame chicken, "Thanks for staying tonight, Mac."

He nodded, taking a sip of his Pepsi, "Not a problem. I'm actually having a good time."

The young woman gaped, hitting him on the shoulder, "Shut up!"

Mac laughed, rubbing his arm, "Ow! That hurt!"

"Please, a tough guy like you?"

"I have my moments of weakness," he admitted.

Erin nodded, "Alright, well I'm going to bed, you can stay up and watch whatever you want," she handed him the remote beore placing a kiss on his cheek, "goodnight."

Mac smiled, feeling warmth creep up to his face, "Goodnight," his eyes followed her into the kitchen where she threw out her empty take-out containers, and into her bedroom before she disappeared from view. He sighed, putting his container on the coffee table before settling into the couch, pulling the warm blanket up over him before turning off the television and closing his eyes, drifting easily off to sleep.

**AN: Reviews make me happy!**


	3. Chapter 3

Erin woke the next morning to the smell of sizzling bacon, the delicious aroma wafting around her. She stretched, opening her eyes to the sunlight pouring through the large windows in her bedroom; she'd forgotten that Mac had spent the night on the couch, and she felt a bit guilty. Her feet touched the cool hardwood floor and she padded into the kitchen, finding him cooking.

"Morning, thought I'd recompense you for letting me spend the night," he smirked, plating her some bacon and eggs.

She smiled, "You didn't have to do this, Mac."

He sat down across from her, "I know, I wanted to. Salt?"

Erin chuckled, "Yes please," she took the salt shaker from him, watching as he poured two cups of coffee, "so what's on the agenda for today?"

Mac looked up at her, "A court meeting at twelve, and a speech at a local high school at three. Which one do you want?"

She smirked, "I'll take the court appearance. You need to get around children more."

He laughed, "Where'd that come from?"

"It's just a fact. You should be around kids more, you're good with them," Erin stated, sipping her coffee, "well thank you for the breakfast it's much appreciated. I'm going to go for a run, you can use whatever you need to get ready for the day. I'll see you later," she got up and walked back to her bedroom, changing out of her pajamas and into her running clothes before saying goodbye to Mac once more and heading out the door, leaving the New York Detective all alone in her apartment. He sat there for a second, processing what just happened before a smirk crept up on his face; he knew this wasn't proper behavior for a boss and his employee, but for some reason he couldn't help it. There was something about the young CSI that drew him to her, more so than he should be. Mac sighed, rubbing his hand over his face before getting up and walking into the bathroom, his eyes examing his reflection in the mirror, "What are you doing, Taylor?"

* * *

The morning air felt good against her face as Erin jogged through the park, her iPod playing her favorite playlist as she watched the people around her. Everything seemed so calm in the morning, but something felt different; she felt different. Last night she seemed to feel safer with Mac in her apartment, she'd never felt safe around any man in her life except her father. As her thoughts drifted to her boss, she almost ran into a bench, which made her cheeks turn red: he distracted her? She logged the thought away as she continued running; they weren't the kind of thoughts to be having about her employer. Erin glanced at her watch, making a note of the time to turn around and head back to her apartment to get ready for work, hopefully Mac left by then. She sighed, wiping her forehead with the back of her wrist as she turned the corner, her eyes falling on the large truck parked in front of the complex: he hadn't left. "Great, just what you need Erin is another distraction," she mumbled as she climbed the stairs, trying to keep her breathing steady as she entered her apartment, finding her living room and kitchen empty.

"Mac?" her eyes scanned the main room of the studio, "You here?" suddenly she heard the shower running and she froze. There weren't too many options for her except to just act like she just walked in, but it was too late for that; the door opened, and immediately her face turned bright red: there he was, her boss, standing in front of her, his hair dripping wet and a towel wrapped around his waist, giving her a pefect view of his sculpted chest and the scar over his heart.

His piercing blue eyes found her and he froze, "Erin. I uh, I thought you were out for a run."

It took her a moment to find her voice, and when she did her words didn't exactly come out like they were supposed to, "I-I was I just...just came back because it was getting...late. Sorry," Erin rushed past him and into her bedroom before she totally lost control of herself, but she couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face when she shut the door.

Mac had seen her expression when he came out of the bathroom, and he couldn't help but smile; she was embarrassed in front of him. So, mustering up what little courage he had at the moment, and walked down the hall to her bedroom door, knocking gently, "Erin? You OK?"

"_Yeah, I'm fine_," her voice came from the other side.

He sighed, turning the knob to find it unlocked, only to find her sitting on her bed with her head in her hands, "You sure about that?"

She looked up at him, her cheeks still red, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you ran away as if I were holding a gun to your head," he stated, trying to lighten the slight tension in the room.

Erin sighed, rubbing her hand over her face, "I'm sorry, it's just...seeing you like that made me a little uncomfortable," she chuckled wryly, "why I don't know."

Mac merely stared at her, noting the confusion and frustration swimming in her aquamarine orbs, and he wanted to do almost anything to relieve her of both. Slowly he walked over, sitting beside her before answering, "Erin, the last thing I want to do is make you feel uncomfotable." The words 'I care about you too much' lingered in his throat, but the New Yorker forced them back, afraid that if he said them he might scare her.

She smiled, turning her hand in his, feeling his calloused palm against her skin, "You don't, not really anyway. I just...there are things that I feel that wouldn't be proper for an employee to feel about her boss," the blush returned to her cheeks when she looked at him once more, finding his cerulean gaze tinted over with something that Erin had never seen before; something that she found quite endeering. Slowly she felt his hands travel up her arms, her own exploring his chest; she wanted to memorize every ripple, every muscle, every inch of Mac Taylor. The young woman's eyes closed as she felt his soft lips press against her neck, his calloused hands slipping beneath the fabric of her shirt.

Finally, his lips found her own, and a warm buzz of electricity ran through her body. His mouth seemed to fit perfectly to hers, erasing her mind of what was right and what was wrong, just allowing her to relax in the moment and just enjoy being with him. Mac felt a warmth ignite within him as his mouth consumed hers, forgetting about being her boss, forgetting about what could happen if anything were to come of this, but something kept him grounded, and Mac pulled away, "I...we shouldn't."

Erin's eyes found his quizzically, but after a moment she nodded her head, "You're right...I'm sorry," with that, she stood and walked to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it behind her. Mac sighed, running his hand over his face; it was stupid of him to even let it go that far, but something in the back of his mind told him it was the right thing to do. A pang of guilt hit the pit of his stomach and it was then that he knew that it was the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his entire life. Claire would've hit him upside the head and called him an idiot, something that he would just smile at. That's who Erin reminded him of: Claire. The news of his wife's death had shattered his world, and he had only just begun to mend it. Erin was a part of that mending process, but he decided to let her blow off a bit of steam before he did anything else. Slowly he got up, got dressed, and left the apartment, shutting the front door quietly behind him before climbing down the stairs and exiting the building.

* * *

Erin arrived five minutes late to the lab that day, something that everyone found odd. Mac knew the reason, but he kept his mouth shut, reprimanded her, and then went about his business. The entire team could tell that her head was in the clouds, another oddity in the young woman's routine. Stella asked her what the problem was, she just shook her head and said nothing. Danny tried to coax her to talk with the offer of a beer at the end of the day, Erin smiled but declined politely, claiming she had a tremendous work load to finish up. It was only around four o'clock in the afternoon that she actually said anything to any member of the team.

Walking into the break room, Erin took a seat next to Stella, "Hey Stel, feel like coming by the apartment and helping me decorate?"

Mac's eyebrows shot up at the invitation, his eyes glancing from Erin to Stella and back.

She smiled, "Sure! What time do you want me to come over?"

Erin shrugged, "Whenever's good for you."

"Need anyone to do heavy liftin'?" Danny flexed his biceps, causing everyone to laugh.

The young CSI nodded, "Whoever wants to come over can come over, we can have a little housewarming party," her eyes fell on Mac, but she quickly turned away.

Stella watched the two of them, and it was then that she finally realized what the problem was, "You want me to bring anything? Food, booze?"

Erin chuckled, "Booze would be great," she rubbed her temples, taking a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"What'd I miss?" Sheldon walked in, a smirk on his face.

"Housewarmin' party at Erin's!" Danny cheered.

Flack stood outside the break room, "Count me in."

The young blonde smirked, feeling the friendship around her was inviting, but there was still that annoying feeling in her chest, and his gaze that she could feel on the back of her neck was nagging at her, "I'm gonna get out of here, I'll see you guys later. Mac knows the address," she got up, walking out of the break room to her office, grabbing her coat and purse before catching the next elevator, the solitude in the small, confined space was relaxing, for however short a time it was. As she slowly made her way home, the cold wind nipped at her face, turning her cheeks red; her mind wandered to her kiss with Mac earlier that morning, and she felt a tingling warmth generate within her, creating butterflies in her stomach. She growled in frustration, "For God's sake, Erin, it was only a kiss!"

Her cellphone rang, bringing her out of her thoughts for a moment, "Hello?"

"_Erin?_"

"Dad! Hey, how are you?" she beamed, thankful for the distraction as she finished the walk to her apartment complex, climbing the stairs.

"_I'm good, sweetheart, how are you?_" Horatio Caine's voice was calm on the other end of the line.

She smiled, "I'm good, just got home from work, having a little housewarming party later."

"_Sounds like fun. How's your mother?_"

"I honestly don't know, I haven't spoken to her since yesterday."

"_Well I called the hospital and they said that she checked out on her own, I was worried about her_."

Erin sighed, turning her key in the lock of her door, "Dad, please, I'm sure she's fine wherever she is. But anyway, when are you coming back up to New York? I miss you!"

He chuckled, "_I miss you too, honey. I'm thinking of coming up for the weekend. I have off of work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the lab's being renovated._"

"That sounds great! Let me know when you have everything set up!"

"_Alright honey, I'll let you go. I love you_."

She smiled, "I love you too, dad. Bye," she hung up hanging her coat in the closet before heading into her bedroom to change out of her work clothes, putting on a pair of comfortable jeans and a three-quarter sleeved shirt, tying her hair up in a ponytail before gathering a few of the things she'd brought from her house to decorate the apartment with. After ordering two large pizzas, one large bag of Chinese takeout, and a bucket of fried chicken, Erin quickly prepped a bucket of ice for whatever liquor she figured they would bring.

"Nice pad, blondie!" a voice came from the door, alerting her that the first of her friends had arrived.

She smirked, "C'mon in Flack, hang your jacket on a bar stool," her eyes fell on the two six packs of beer bottles in his hands, "I'll take those."

Don handed her the beer and gave her a hug, "I could crash here if I wanted, I live just down the block. Can I get a key?"

Erin laughed as she put the beers on ice, watching him sling his coat over the back of one of the bar stools, "Not likely."

"A lady needs her privacy, Don," Mac stated from the doorway, a smile on his face and a bottle of red wine in his hand.

The young woman looked at him, noticing the black T-shirt he wore clinging to his muscled chest, "You can put the wine on the counter, Mac, I'll take it from there."

He nodded, walking over and kissing her on the cheek, "Pinot Noir alright?"

She blushed, "Pinot is fine, thank you," quickly diverting her attention to her other guest, "what can I get you boys to drink?"

"Beer for the Irishman," Flack chuckled, sitting down around the island.

Mac sat beside him, "I'll take a beer, too."

"Three beers coming up," she sighed, taking three bottles out of the ice and popping off the caps with her index finger, a trick that Flack was shocked to see.

"How the Hell did you learn that?" he stared.

Erin grinned, "Military teaches you things."

Mac arched his eyebrow, "I thought the Army was dry?"

She shook her head, "National Guard isn't," she handed him a beer, "drink up, boss."

He smirked, taking the bottle from her, "You never cease to amaze, Erin."

Don chuckled, "Cheers guys," he tapped the neck of his beer bottle against Erin's, who in turn tapped Mac's.

"I'm glad I have some form of mystery," she quipped at her superior, noticing a glint in his eyes that made her cheeks turn red, but thankfully someone was tapping on the already ajar door.

"Knock knock!" Stella smiled, holding up a bottle of tequila in one hand and a bottle of margarita mix in the other, "someone call for booze?"

Erin laughed, putting down her beer and walking over to her friend, accepting the two bottles and giving her a hug, "Thank you darling, take a seat and tell me what you want to drink."

The dark-haired woman chuckled, sitting down between Don and Mac, "What's the majority?"

"Beer," the two men said in unison, causing laughter to emerge from their female companions.

"Beer it is then!" Erin handed Stella one of the beers that had been on ice, "I have a martini shaker in one of these boxes, when I find it we can make your margaritas."

Mac's eyes drifted to the food she'd had spread out on the counter, "Feeding a country, Er?"

She rolled her eyes, taking a long sip of her beer before answering, "Please, I know how guys eat. Besides, you guys can take home whatever you want."

"Is this a party or what?" Danny cheered from the doorway, holding up two six packs of beer cans over his head.

The small group laughed as their friend joined them, hugging each person in turn before handing Erin the beer, "I'll take whatever they're havin' gorgeous."

Erin chuckled, "Flattery gets you nowhere, Danny," she handed him a beer.

He smirked, sitting down in one of the stools, "It gets me to see you smile don't it?"

Mac clapped him on the back, "You try too hard."

"A guy can dream can't he?" Danny shrugged, taking a sip of beer before beginning to converse with Stella.

Erin looked to the door and saw Sheldon, a smile spreading across her lips, "Now the fun can begin, hello Dr. Hawkes," she walked over, hugging him kindly.

Sheldon smiled, "Hey there beautiful, this is for you," he handed her a bottle of white wine, "and this is for the rest of us," he held up three more bottles.

She laughed, "Bring them in and I'll put 'em on ice."

The small gathering progressed through the night, the friends drinking, eating, and conversing with much laughter enthralled in between. Erin felt comfortable around everyone, even Mac, whom she kept her eye on regularly as they traveled from the kitchen island to her "living room" which after pushing around some furniture and unpacking a few boxes, was able to fit all of them comfortably. Mac, Stella, and Sheldon sat on one couch, Danny, Flack, and Erin on the other, conversation flying wildly between them all.

"Now come on that's not fair!" Erin whined, a giggle suppressed behind it as she listened to the "dare" she had to perform.

Don shrugged, "C'mon Er, you don't play you have to forfeit!"

She glared at him, "You're not the one who was just told that they have to reveal something on their body that no one else has ever seen."

Mac smirked, "Miss Goody-Two-Shoes doesn't have anything to show that's why."

Erin was surprised at the teasing manner in which Mac was talking to her, but she just let it pass over her, between the four beers, three margaritas, and now working on her third glass of wine, she was just as flirty as he was, "Oh trust me Detective Taylor, there is so much about me none of you have seen," she stood, turning around before pulling up the back of her shirt, revealing a tattoo on her left shoulder: it was the Italian flag, with it's vibrant red, white, and green contrasting against her tan skin. From the nape of her neck, over the flag, and around to disappear beneath her bra was a set of black rosary beads, hanging from which at the top was a lucky Italian horn, brilliantly red. The entire piece of body art was expertly done and looked incredible, the detailing was accurate and made the tattoo look immensely realistic.

Danny pulled her down to sit next to him, "Lemme see that!" his voice slurred drunkenly, his fingers brushing over the tattoo, "That's...amazing, Er!"

Mac nodded, "Impressive."

She pulled her shirt down, looking back at her boss, "Truth or dare, Mac?"

He leaned back against the couch, keeping his eyes on her, "Dare."

Erin grinned victoriously, "Show us something we've never seen," she took a sip from her wine glass.

Stella laughed, "Oh this I cannot wait to see."

Mac watched as Don whispered something in Erin's ear, causing her to laugh; she'd been drinking a lot over the course of the evening, he'd counted nine already, she was working on her tenth, and he could see the alcohol taking its effect on her slowly. She held her liquor well, he had to give her that, "Alright fine," he stood, pulling his shirt up over his head, revealing a scar over his heart, "from when I was in the Marine Corps. piece of shrapnel hit me."

Erin had to do her best not to turn red when Mac removed his shirt, but her focus was not on his well-sculpted abdomen and arms, but the scar. She'd never seen something so hurtful look so fitting on a person. He wore his past well, and it showed in his actions, "Wow."

Sheldon sighed, "Well, as fun as this has been, I have to get going."

Stella nodded, "I'm with ya, Hawkes. We'll see you tomorrow Erin, thanks for inviting us!"

Erin hugged each of her friends as they left, until there was no one in the apartment except Mac and herself.

Mac sighed, his shirt now back on his person as he watched her pick up the paper plates and beer cans, "Let me help."

She smiled at him, "I've got it, you should go home and get some rest, we have a long day tomorrow," she'd been making a circle around the coffee table, but the liquor in her system had taken it's toll and she stumbled, "Ah!" Erin thought she'd hit the carpet, but a pair of strong hands had caught her upper arms, pulling her small frame against his chest.

"Take it easy there, lightweight," Mac teased, looking down at her flushed face.

A giggle of drunken laughter elicited itself from her lips, "I'm not...not drunk," her eyes found his, a haze of something different coating the cerulean orbs, "what's wrong?"

Mac didn't answer her with words, merely keeping his eyes locked with her own as his hands slid from her arms, taking the cups from her hands and putting them back on the table, then returning to her body, where they gently slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, feeling her warm skin against his fingertips.

Erin's breathing hitched at the sensation of his hands on her skin, "Mac-" she was silenced as his head dipped to the crook of her neck, placing a soft kiss on her collar bone. He placed another just above it, and so on as he made a trail up to her ear, his lips curling around the lobe, sucking gently. "Uhh," the woman moaned quietly, her own hands now roaming across his chest, feeling his muscles ripple beneath the flimsy fabric of his shirt. Getting impatient, she reached upward and slid her fingertips through his brown locks, "kiss me, Mac."

He heard her request and was more than eager to comply, without hesitation he brought his mouth to hers, kissing her deeply. A mew of delight came from the woman in his arms, and it made his blood run hot. He felt her hands grip his shoulders and her feet move forward, obviously wanting him to move somewhere. Mac pulled away momentarily from her lips, "Bedroom?"

She shook her head, a smirk curling across her face as she pushed him to sit on the couch, bringing her mouth harshly back to his, plunging her tongue inside without a second thought. Mac moaned low in his throat, his tongue dancing with hers for dominance as his hands pushed her shirt upward, his thumbs finding the line of her bra, stroking the fabric gently. Erin released her hands from his shoulders, grabbing his wrists and pulling his hands down, feeling him pull away from the kiss to watch her, "Wh-What are you doing?" his breathing was heavy as his eyes flashed from her own, to her body and back.

The young woman smiled, reaching her own hands down to the hem of her shirt, pulling it up over her head and dropping it to the floor, her tanned torso covered only by a simple, black bra. Mac sighed, his hands gripping at her jean-clad ass as he pulled her onto his lap, kissing her breasts above the cloth, hearing her moan once more. Erin breathed heavily, kissing the crown of his head as she straddled his legs, rotating her hips slowly against his, feeling his erection prominent beneath his own jeans. Mac couldn't help but groan, his hands making quick work of her jeans before throwing them over his head, then without warning, he hooked a finger into the waistband of her panties and pulled, hard. Erin heard the tear of fabric and snap of elastic as he tore her panties off, pushing her down against the couch and seeing his flustered face only meant one thing: he wanted this just as much as she did.

"Mac," she placed her hands on chest, making eye contact with him quickly, "don't rush into this, please. Make sure it's something you want."

He smiled, kissing her deeply before pulling away, "I want this...if you want this."

Erin sighed, watching him slowly remove his jeans, soon leaving him in nothing but a pair of black boxers, "I want this."

The New York native leaned down once more, capturing her mouth in his as her hands pushed the waistband of his boxers down, giving him just enough freedom to push into her wet sheath. Erin gasped as he entered her swiftly, her body adjusting to the feeling faster than usual, her hands gripped his shoulders tight, "Mmmh."

Mac groaned softly as he began a steady pace of thrusts, keeping his body balanced over her with his hands on either side of her body; the couch didn't give much room, but he was able to push her legs apart a bit more, strengthening the sensations. The young woman gasped against his lips, pushing her hands hard against his chest in order to get him to sit up, allowing her to straddle his waist once more. Still sexually connected with him, she raised and lowered her hips, watching his face contort with pleasure.

"God Erin..." he moaned, his hands gripping her hips tightly as she bounced a bit faster, her head falling back as loud moans escaped her lips, her nails digging into the skin of his shoulders. Neither of them cared how loud they were at that point, their bodies coated with thick layers of perspiration, exchanging breath through rushed kisses to stifle erotic moans. Mac was sure she was nearing release, her inner walls clenching down on his manhood was the usual giveaway.

Erin's entire body shook, her moans transferring into hysteric cries of ecstasy as she climaxed, white lights flashing in front of her eyes. Mac came with her, letting her collapse against his chest as he fell back onto the large pillows lining the couch. The young woman sighed, kissing the scar over his heart, "So...does this mean I get the day off tomorrow?"

Mac looked down at her, seeing the childish grin on her face made him laugh, and she laughed with him, the couple exchanging a lingering kiss before he pulled a blanket up around them, allowing them to drift off to sleep contently.

**AN: SO SO SO SORRY this took so long, I sort of lost my gung-ho for writing :( Anyway reviews would be lovely! 3**


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